Crown Castle International : Wilton keeps Town Meeting, approves community power

Moments before the adjournment of Wilton's 260th Town Meeting, Moderator Bill Keefe made an announcement.

"There will be a 261st Town Meeting."

The question had been put to the meeting Thursday evening whether there the town should adopt ballot voting for all issues, under the SB2 system of voting, or continue with traditional Town Meeting. In the only vote taken by ballot, the results were resounding - six votes for ballot voting, to 133 for keeping Town Meeting.

The residents who spoke on the issue were overwhelmingly in favor of maintaining the current system.

"I would hate for our 260th Town Meeting to be our last," said Selectman Kermit Williams.

Resident Sara Spittel called Town Meeting "time-proven" to be an effective form of government, and said ballot voting where few residents attend the deliberative session to hear the articles and debate them led to "blind voting."

Resident Cary Hughes called Town Meeting "...the last real, direct participatory democracy in the world." Hughes said while Town Meeting requires a few hours of commitment, "It's worth every minute of it."

The issue of adopting ballot voting was the only article to fail during Thursday's Town Meeting, with all other articles, including the town's $5.9 million budget and increases in stipends for elected officials passing.

Voters also agreed to adopt the Wilton Community Power Electric Aggregation Plan. Members of the Wilton Community Power Committee advised residents that the plan will be optional - residents can opt-in or -out of it at any time, with committee member Rachel Chumbley saying it was a matter of "all pros and no cons" for the town.

Power will still be delivered to Wilton residents through Eversource, and residents will still receive their bills through the power company, and receive repairs through them as usual when needed. What changes under the Community Power Agreement is where the power is sourced. Residents can choose between four different plans, one which provides the lowest cost, a default rate that adds an additional 5% to 10% additional renewable energy but is competitive with the rate users are currently paying or the option to have either 50% or 100% renewables.

Residents will receive a postcard in the mail asking them what level they wish to enroll in, or if they would like to opt out of the program. Those who do not return the card would be enrolled at the default rate.

Williams said the plan gives residents more control over where their energy comes from and how much is from renewable sources, or gives them the opportunity to save on their electric costs. After a night of passing warrant articles spending money, he said, "This is one that will potentially put money back into your pockets."

Voters approved the plan by voice vote.

Town Meeting also agreed to both of two related articles to raise funds for the eventual repair or decommissioning of the town's dams, particularly the dams at the New Reservoir and Frog Pond. One of the two articles asked to change the purpose of the New Reservoir Dam Repair and Maintenance Expendable Trust Fund, to allow the funds to be used for the repair or maintenance of any dam in town.

While the town owns multiple dams, the two of current concern are the New Reservoir and Frog Pond, with the New Reservoir Dam being at the highest level of concern, because if it fails, it would lead to major flooding in downtown Wilton and eventually the overflow of other dams leading to Milford. Residents also agreed to put $100,000 in the fund for the future repairs.

Williams told residents both dams have been evaluated by the New Hampshire Bureau of Dams, and the New Reservoir Dam has a "high" threat classification. Both the options to either repair or decommission it will likely cost the town upwards of $1 million. The funding requested Thursday is to be able to do engineering work, or start to save for those eventual costs.

There was also strong support for a $100,000 to install new communications equipment at the Dram Cup Hill/Crown Castle tower site on an existing cellphone tower. The communications equipment will be used by town departments, increase the amount of area in town where reception is exceptional and reduce most of the dead zones, Fire Chief Don Nourse said.

The new infrastructure will not impact the town's current agreement for dispatch services with MACC Base, but Nourse said it is a potential guard against the eventuality that MACC Base dissolves. MACC Base is a collaborative dispatch center that Wilton partners in with Milford and Mont Vernon. Milford has put forth multiple warrant articles in recent years attempting to create its own, stand-alone system, and Nourse said if MACC Base dissolves as an entity, Wilton will own the equipment on Dram Cup Hill and be able to continue to use it if they secure another dispatch service.

The town plans to use the unexpended fund balance from the previous year to pay for the new equipment and licenses this year. There is an ongoing cost of $14,000 annually to continue to use the tower for the equipment.

Voters passed the measure by voice vote.

There were only two issues on the warrant which were amended on the floor. One was Article 13, which requested $100,000 from the unassigned fund balance to be put in a capital reserve to match potential grant funding for infrastructure projects. The amendment, which passed by voice vote, added a sentence to require the Select Board hold a public hearing before expending any of the funds. The amendment, and then the article, both passed with voice votes.

The second amendment made was to a request to increase the tax exemption for veterans in Wilton. Currently, the tax credit is about $350. The Select Board had proposed increasing that amount to $500. An amendment on the floor increased that to the maximum allowed, or $750. About 143 households currently receive the tax credit, which amounts to about $50,050 in forgiven taxes. With a $750 credit, that amount increases to about $107,250.

Residents also agreed to adopt a property tax exemption for disabled residents.

Voters approved the continuation of lease payments for the town's fire engine and the Highway Department's 10-wheel dump truck. Voters also approved the purchase of a new pickup truck for the Highway Department, a police cruiser and a new mower for the cemetery department.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or [e-mail]. She's on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.